High shock energy occurs in projectiles with hollow charges and multiple warheads during and after the impact at the target, and this shock energy can disrupt the effective charge, reduce its power and even prevent it from working.
It is generally known inter alia that in so-called tandem hollow charges both the shock of impact and the detonation of the preliminary charge can prevent the formation of a high-energy jet.
An electronic delay circuit for the delayed detonation of the main charge in a tandem hollow charge is known from EP-A1-0 497 394. A projectile with a percussion fuse at the front with a preliminary charge arranged behind it is provided in a first cylindrical region of the projectile. A second hollow charge is arranged in a substantially cylindrical region on the projectile's longitudinal axis by way of a single, tapered spacer tube. An electronic detonation device, which contains the delay circuit, is situated behind the main charge. The energy supply of the circuit arrangement and the necessary detonation voltage are implemented by a piezo crystal in the rear of the projectile. The impact shock of the elongate percussion fuse, which acts as a “stand off” means for the detonation of the preliminary charge at the correct time, is at the same time concentrated into the rear of the projectile by way of the projectile casing and can compress, i.e. activate, the piezo crystal located in that region.
Another tandem hollow charge with a casing in the form of a jacket consisting of a composite material (US-A-5,003,883) has a shield between the preliminary charge and the main charge, the shield keeping the explosive pressure of the preliminary charge away from the main charge and preventing the premature detonation thereof as a consequence of the pressure wave. To this end the main charge is covered by a lightweight fibre/epoxy dome. A central opening is closed by an aluminium plug which absorbs and deflects the central explosive pressure of the preliminary charge. As soon as the jet of the main charge is formed, the plug flies out of its bore and clears the path to the target for the jet.
Whereas EP-A1-0 497 394 discloses a solution for the safe and time-delayed activation of the main charge, US-A-5,003,883 provides a projectile with a low overall weight and a main charge protected from the explosive pressure of the preliminary charge.
In a rocket-propelled projectile with a plurality of charges to be detonated in succession, EP-A1-928 948 discloses a mechanical damper element interposed between two charges. To this end the two projectile bodies are screwed together, in which case a central cavity in which a leaf spring is inserted is formed between disc-like contact surfaces of the two parts.
A drawback with this design is that it is not possible for very high shock loading to be intercepted, since the shock of the impact is transmitted by way of the casing structure, mainly by way of the projectile casing. In addition, on account of their mass and inertia, embedded leaf springs cannot damp high-frequency vibrations and behave like rigid masses, so that the damping effect is restricted to low-frequency vibrations. In this way, it is only possible only for charges in projectiles which travel relatively slowly to be protected from impermissible shock loading.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a shock-absorbing structure which is also suitable for highly accelerated projectiles with charges arranged in succession and detonated with a time delay. In this way, the safety of the system is increased and, in particular, a premature activation of the main charge can be prevented.
The disruptions occurring at the target are to be minimized; in this case, influences from active armour plating (e.g. explosive reactive armour—ERA) upon the effective power of the projectile should likewise be reduced.